1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc centering device in a disc player having a disc insertion slot for centering a disc such as a compact disc as information carrier, which is transferred from the disc insertion slot to a playback position such that the center of the disc is held on a turntable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A disc player having a disc insertion slot usually has a disc centering mechanism to make the center of a disc inserted from the disc insertion slot to be coincident with the turntable center. For first centering, the centering mechanism stops a disc transferred from the disc insertion slot after the disc center slightly passes beyond the turntable center. For second centering, the centering mechanism pulls back the disc center to be coincident with the turntable center. The first centering is effected by a mechanism, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 2001-110117, and comprises a pair of disc sensors 22 coupled to the disc insertion slot for in opposite directions, a lever 54 to be rocked or pivoted with insertion of a large-size disc, and a small-size disc stopper part 52. When the lever 54 is rocked by a large-size disc, it causes rocking or pivoting of a centering guide arm to cause retreat of the small-size disc stopper 52 from a disc transport path.
The above mechanism for effecting the first centering is complicated in construction with the provision of the lever 54, which is rocked with insertion of the large-size disc, for causing advancement and retreat of the small-size disc to and from the disc transport path. Besides, the mechanism performs complicated disc transport such that the small-size disc is transported in a slightly upwardly slanted state to the playback position.
The present invention has an object of providing a disc centering mechanism, which permits simplification of the construction.